As we have covered in previous blogs, Network slicing enables operators to offer customized 5G services to users based on their functional requirements such as class of service, mobility requirements, priority levels, security as well as performance requirements such as latency, reliability, data transfer rates, etc. This enables customers to build out use cases for their business users such as vertical customers, government, smart cities, etc This short post discusses the main roles in network slicing.
3GPP is the principal standards body driving 5G architecture and standards. It has defined various network slicing specifications in its various working groups. 3GPP SA1 spec proposes network slicing-related use cases and requirements. In 3GPP RAN1/2/3, the RAN slicing- awareness features are discussed. In 3GPP SA2, the fundamental system architecture for network slicing is proposed.
The main way to define a slice is to use a generic slice template. The template describes a network slice format that can be leveraged by three participants in the slice process – infrastructure vendors, mobile network operators and slice buyers.
The slice descriptor enables:
- Infrastructure vendors to define the main features of their products
- Slice buyers to set their SLA/contractual agreements around their slice requirements with the operator of the slice
- Operators to exchange slice descriptors with their partners to facilitate roaming customers as they move between their services
Now, when we use the term ‘Operator’, in the context of 5G networks, 3GPP defines clearly defined roles and assigned responsibilities to these roles as shown below.
As described above, the Operator roles in network slicing management include:
- Communication Service Customer (CSC): This entity uses communication services to purchase network slices.
- Communication Service Provider (CSP): This is the entity that designs, builds, operates network slices over its communication networks. The CSP in most cases is an existing business that can be used with or without a network slice.
- Network Operator (NOP): The Network Operators provides network services and can serve as a supplier to the CSP.
- Network Equipment Provider (NEP): This includes major 5G suppliers such as Samsung, Nokia etc. They supply network equipment that run C/V NFs
Conclusion
The next blog post will discuss a generic reference architecture for Network Slicing and will also cover the design of the overall system.